When I get up nearly every morning I start the day with daily devotions. I read the day’s entry in Christ in Our Home and the corresponding Bible verses and prayer for the day. I started this habit in my early 30s when my life felt like it had no structure. I’m pretty go-with-the-flow, but I figured if I made a habit of at least starting my day focused on God, I’d be off to a good start.
The habit has stuck. Yes, there are days I miss when kids have to be to sports busses well before sunrise and that sort of thing. For the most part, though, I’ve stuck with it, and when I miss a day, I feel it. One of the verses for today made me chuckle – and think.
It’s hard to focus on two things at once
In today’s Bible verse “Balaam, the Donkey and the Angel” from Numbers 22:22-27, it tells the story of Balaam riding his donkey until the donkey sees the angel of God standing in the road holding a drawn sword. The donkey turns off the road and goes into a field. Balaam, completely oblivious whacks the donkey. As they go further, they come upon the angel again. This time the donkey squeezes past it causing Balaam to scrape his foot on a wall. Balaam whacks the donkey again. A third time the donkey sees the angel. This time the angel is standing directly in the path blocking the way completely, so the donkey lays down. Balaam whacks the donkey a third time.
Why is he so blind?
Notice that at this point Balaam hasn’t stopped to consider that maybe something is up. He sees only what is immediate and reacts without taking any time to consider the source of his donkey’s strange behavior. After this third encounter and subsequent whack, the Lord enables the donkey to speak. The donkey says to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me three times?”
Unless you’re Shrek, you’d think if your donkey started talking to you, it might get your attention. In the case of Balaam, not so much. Balaam is so oblivious that even a talking donkey doesn’t catch his attention. He’s so zoomed in on being angry that he is unable to bring the bigger picture into focus. He tells his donkey that he wants to kill him for making a fool of him.
So, Balaam is so focused in on being angry that he wants to kill his donkey. Donkeys are awesome and adorable. How mad do you have to be to think that is a good idea?
Balaam’s donkey goes on to say “Am I not your donkey which you have ridden all of your life to this day? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way?” Still apparently unphazed by the talking donkey, Balaam responds, “No.”
It’s only then, when we can assume Balaam has let his anger go that God opens his eyes and Balaam sees the angel himself.
Focus in on what you want to see
Because Balaam was hell bent on being mad, he was blind to see the good in things. His donkey saved him from being killed by this angel (that part is found here). If his focus had been gratitude instead of anger, it’s likely he’d have seen with different eyes.
Have you ever noticed that when you’re thinking about something, you wind up seeing something related. Sometimes instead you hear a song referencing what’s on your mind. Other times maybe you run into a person you were just thinking about, or they call.
Some call it coincidence, but thoughts and focus are powerful. There’s a lot of evidence to support the what Bob Proctor says in The Secret.
What you think about you bring about.
Bob Proctor
Try it yourself
Don’t focus on taking my word for it. Try it yourself. Take the day and focus only on what’s good in every situation. If you have to wait in line find a way to be grateful for the break in your busy day. If you are stuck in traffic, be grateful you’re not getting a speeding ticket. Whatever comes your way for an entire day, make an effort to find the good in it and feel grateful. At the end of the day, take time to reflect on how you’re feeling. Instead of exhausted and angry, I’ll bet you’ll be feeling something different and better. Then, work on focusing on the good every day, so you don’t miss out on all that is already there for you.